Subject:Top Malaysian official quits over daughter's wedding

Written By:Philip Enoon05/14/14 at 6:01 am

A senior Malaysian official has caused a political stir by quitting his party over a dispute about his daughter's wedding, it appears.

Ahmad Said, who was the chief minister of Terengganu state, decided to leave his party after Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak rejected his request to step down from his post after his daughter's wedding, Astro Awani news website reports. Said apparently wanted the reception to take place in the prestigious chief minister's residence.

"I told the PM that my daughter's wedding reception is on 17 May and asked for the change of chief minister to happen after that," Ahmad tells the Malaysiakini website. "He told me that was a personal matter, so I told him not to blame me if I quit the party."

Ahmad's decision to leave the ruling UMNO party could trigger a change of government in Terengganyu. Even though the party found a replacement for Ahmad in the state assembly, two other party members have reportedly also defected, raising the possibility that the opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition could wrest control of the state. Meanwhile, it is not clear where Ahmad's daughter's wedding will now be held.